


Just roll with it

by Chyrstis



Series: You'll be okay, I promise [3]
Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 07:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20060344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chyrstis/pseuds/Chyrstis
Summary: She blanched. “God, Faith’s everywhere. Or wants us to think that exact thing.”“At least I got to keep my twenty dollars this time.”“What?”Sharky shrugged. “She looked like she needed a beer or something, so I gave her the cash out of my pocket.”“You gave awalking acid triptwenty dollars?”---The plan was to hit Boshaw Manor before heading north. Grab some supplies, a working car, and figure it out from there. Sadly, her plans never seem to survive the first draft.





	Just roll with it

**Author's Note:**

> I took a few liberties with where the Deputy ends up after coming out of the bliss the first time around (my game glitched and deposited her in a field by the jail for some reason), but the actual van bit? That did happen before Faith dropped by, and I love how the game allows for those types of things. 
> 
> There's mention of drug use as per what Faith brings up when you first meet with her, so I just wanted to list a quick warning for that as well!

Her truck was toast.

Hana had known that riding in, and now with Sharky with her, the two were faced with a new dilemma; needing some serious wheels to get from point A to point B.

With most of his supplies back at his place, it meant backtracking there first before heading further north. Sharky’s own truck had gone up in a fireball a day before she’d found him, but it hadn’t phased him at all. It’d been his third that week, mostly due to cultists constantly patrolling the open roads, and he kept on trading them up as they became available. …While the others were reduced to flaming wrecks.

Neither she nor Sharky had actually been able to keep their hands on a working vehicle for longer than a week so far in Hope County. At least not since things had well and truly gone to hell in a handbasket. She wondered what that said about the two of them.

The fight back at Moonflower had been hell on both of them, and even if he wasn’t anywhere near as wiped as she was, she did see some of his energy starting to flag. Having to lug around his flamethrower plus the fuel for it without having a place to stash it otherwise was a full-on endurance sport.

That did not stop his ability to talk her ear off, however. It was strange not being the one to fill the silence for once, listening to him tell her about anything and everything that caught his fancy.

How down by a creek he’d found a cool lizard that had given him a rash on his junk for a week after he’d hid it in his pants so he could show it off to his classmates. How another had a killer area for skinny dipping – and he’d nearly froze his ass off after cannonballing into it. Or how this other time he’d burned his eyebrows off for nearly a month after dropping a match into a pile of dry brush. The lighter fluid hadn’t been needed, but did amp it all up to eleven, while also torching part of a nearby corn crop.

All stories were told with his hands, framing each expression that crossed his face, along with a series of mimicked sounds and added commentary. It was tough not to watch him, and every time he scored a laugh, or a “no frigging way” from her, she got a pleased smile from him in return before he dove into another tale.

She hadn’t been left alone with herself for once. Left with her thoughts buzzing, questioning everything, and it’d been…nice. Really damn nice, actually.

Lord knew she’d done enough of that since getting here. But a moment where she didn’t have to think about Joseph or how the arrest had gone to shit on her watch was a reprieve she’d gladly take.

“We aren’t there yet, are we?” she asked, fiddling with the strap of her bag.

“We’re about two shakes out. Could probably find a quicker way if we ambush any of the Peggies waiting around, but you’ve got to deal with their shit taste in music first.”

“Oh, amen to that,” she muttered. “Before I came out here I was stuck on John’s playlist from hell. At least Faith’s is kinda soothing if you listen to it long enough. John’s is really…self-focused.”

It was only the one song that was, actually, but when his people wanted to blast it, it was everywhere. And for someone so determined to remind everyone that he was the face of Eden’s Gate, he’d gone above and beyond the call of duty in that department, with every sign, note, and broadcast.

With every yes, which he was set on staking his claim on.

God, even now she was still bitching about John. It was probably time for a break, all things considered.

“John? What with that whole cleansing shit? Some beefed up swirly from hell? I’ve had better times out back getting the old spray and pray with the firehose. All without someone really pushing for me to get into it. Like really into it.” He thought it over a bit. “Fucking Peggies, man.”

Okay, scratch that. Cheap shots were totally still on the table. “Yeah, I think he’s going to need to do a real spin-cycle on me before that’ll take. He was kinda pissed during mine.”

Sharky nudged her. “I heard the Pastor totally blew the whole thing sky high getting people out of there. That was you too?”

“I wished I’d done half of the shit he’d been able to. John had-“

A chill rolled over her at the memory of the water, how cold it’d felt as he’d held her down, and she floundered for a second.

“…Dammit. Sorry, the uh, motherfucker was really persistent when it came to loading the few of us up and into a van, so my hands were literally tied when Jerome found us. It was a Die Hard-level type of intervention and I’d never been more jealous in my life.”

He gave an approving nod. “Dude’s a total badass.”

“No joke.”

The high-pitched whine of an engine approached, and the two ducked into the nearby brush to avoid it. Traveling along any of the roads was a risk, so they tried to stick to the smaller paths Sharky was more familiar with once they had cleared the trailer park. That didn’t stop those opting for ATVs, however.

One ambled up and over a nearby hill, with only a single rider, and the man swore loudly as the vehicle’s wheels rolled into a muddy patch. A few loud revs tried to get it to budge, but it wasn’t doing it, and after nearly a minute of fighting it he cut the power to the engine.

She traded a look with Sharky. “It’s not the most roomy of rides, but-“

“I can sardine it up, no problem. You can fit five people on one of those things if you try hard enough.”

“Sure, man,” Hana said, lining up the shot with her rifle. “Good thing we’re just sticking to two.”

She pulled the trigger. The man pitched forward, falling over the handlebars to the ground below. They both hurried over after that, keeping an eye out for anyone that might’ve been tailing him.

Slinging her rifle over to her side, the two got to work shifting the ATV out of the hole it’d made. They hefted it over to the side, clear of the mud it had kicked up, and once it was free she popped onto the driver’s seat, and patted the seat behind her.

Sharky had just settled in when she revved it, and he swore loudly as the ATV shot forward, both of his hands flying around her waist. The shift made her yelp, and when she responded by hitting the brakes his weight hit her squarely in the back, nearly bowling her over as well.

“You want to ease up on that, Dep?” he wheezed. “You want both of us to make it over there in one piece, right?”

Her face burned as she took her hands off of the controls, and took in a deep breath before touching them again. “Goddammit. I’ve driven all of one of these before, and forgot how bad they kick.”

“Sure you don’t want me up front?”

She actually kinda did, but the thought of hugging two cylinders of propane as they sped along just screamed, ‘bad idea’. “Nah, I’ve got it, hon. Just give me a second.”

His grip was tight on her, a fact that wasn’t lost on her one bit as she revved the ATV gently, hoping the damn thing wouldn’t try to boot them again. This time they were able to stay on, but it took more than one controlled turn for him to finally ease up and sit back.

Soon enough, they rolled up to their destination. Boshaw Manor – as Sharky affectionately referred to it – was a single-story house that was remarkably intact considering who the owner was. Surrounded by just enough trees to give it cover, the property was littered with items that were either for burning, or had been in the process of being burnt.

Even from where she was standing she could see propane tanks stacked along the outside wall of the house, and as the two tucked themselves behind a nearby tree, she checked for any signs the cult had been there.

A large SUV was parked out front, and it was the furthest from what she’d imagine a guy like Sharky would drive. Still, it was worth asking.

“Does that look pretty much as you’d left it?”

Sharky studied the area, and shook his head. “Hell, no. I left with the only truck I had, and what’s left of it’s back at the trailer park.”

“I was afraid you’d say that. Watch my back while I check it out?” She handed him her rifle, and started creeping forward.

Drawing her handgun, Hana slowly approached the vehicle. Circling around it, she noted the word “SINNER” painted along its side, the letters all in stark white. The windshield had been blown out, and when she moved around the open driver’s side door she winced at what was resting on the ground beside it.

The woman wasn’t wearing any of the clothes favored by the cult, and had likely been just about to duck into the house ahead for shelter or help. Too many people in the county had been left like this, curled up and afraid just before the cultists got to them, and anger began to curl in every inch of her body as she kept on moving towards the front door.

A flash of white sprung up on her left. Bright lights weren’t dancing on the edges of her vision like before, but as she saw someone dart around the corner of the house, she rubbed at her eyes just to see if the image faded.

That was the only way to explain-

“You see any Peggies?”

Every hair stood on end as she whirled around to find Sharky behind her. “Fuck, man! I told you to hang back!” she hissed.

“I didn’t see anything back there, and wanted to check with you.” His voice traveled even in a whisper, and she held up a finger to her lips. “Uh, yeah, working on that.”

He was still louder than needed, but she chalked it up to the pitch of his voice. That, and the excitement that seemed to spring up whenever trouble was waiting. She gave him a small pat on the shoulder and gestured towards the door.

He stuck with her this time as they approached, tucking close to the wall. She inched down the way, passing the signs nailed by the entrance, each of which mentioned propane or fire in some fashion, and she remembered both the propane canisters…and the flamethrower on Sharky’s back.

Someone loved to live dangerously. But at least he put up the signs?

She nudged the door open, wincing at the creak. When she didn’t see anyone waiting in the doorway, she crept inside. Between the two of them, they quickly went through the small house, poking in every corner, even giving the other half of the yard outside a once-over before meeting back by the doors.

“It’s looking pretty damn clear,” she said after a minute, still crouched down low. “Uh, unless you can think of any other places a Peggie might want to hide out here?”

“Most of my stuff’s in the bunker below. Gasoline, enough antifreeze to float a fucking boat, and a bunch of other shit that…”

He paused, worry suddenly crossing his face, then broke away to head outside, his run turning into a sprint.

“Sharky, what the hell?”

“Gotta check on this real quick, chica!”

She watched him stop right next to a spot outside, one she’d missed completely. Brushing a bunch of leaves and twigs away from it with his hands, he reached down and popped a hidden hatch open. He was gone a second later, sliding down the ladder to check out whatever waited below.

Hana stood there, holding the door to his house open as she stared after him. Curiosity soon got the better of her, however, and she approached the hatch, couching down next to it. Below she couldn’t see or hear much, but when it didn’t look like any Peggies were really waiting to ambush the two, she called out to him.

“Hey, Boshaw! Didn’t fall in down there, did you?”

His voice didn’t carry all the way to her, but he did appear at the bottom of the stairs a moment later. He’d set his flamethrower down, but was sporting a shotgun instead.

“Nah, just had to make sure none of the Peggies have been nosing around in my shit. A man’s stash is a special thing, and having them come over here with their fake-ass paperwork only to claim it just ain’t right.”

“So, everything’s still good?” she asked as he climbed back up to join her.

“Nothing’s moved, still got all of the antifreeze, though it’s looking like it’ll go soon so I’d better get on using it for something. …I was looking to get on crossing off things on my bucket list anyway, and no time like the present.”

She didn’t ask for any extra explanation, but figured if he wanted to, he’d tell her. “So, what do we want to try and shove in that SUV over there if it’s still running?”

He rubbed his hands together. “Depends on just how high you want to blow up ol’ Joe. And the sky’s the fucking limit.”

That really came down to how comfortable they’d feel driving out on the open road one accident away from a violent explosion. He could work with it. Her, not as much, even when she tried to tap into the same brand of gusto he’d come at the idea with.

Still, they didn’t need to have a river of propane and propane-type products to do a ton of damage, and when she talked him into dialing it back to whatever they could fit in the trunk, he pouted a little, but said that Hurk could pick up the slack from there.

Lucky for them both, the SUV had its keys in the ignition, and when it did start, they quickly cleared the rest of the vehicle out, removing the shattered glass and the debris in the back. She followed his lead after that, grabbing anything he rattled off to her off of his mental checklist, and they loaded it up fast.

He spent some time securing the place as well, hiding the hatch to his ‘stash’, and setting up parting gifts for anyone that came poking around. Every spot he marked, she made damn sure to note. She would be the one to accidentally blow her own foot off for being careless, and really didn’t need to raise her chances by playing an impromptu game of minesweeper later on in Sharky’s yard.

From this spot out front they could also keep an eye on the road. It’d been quiet so far – almost too quiet, and Hana tried not to let her nerves have a field day with that one – but she couldn’t help the deep breath that left her the moment they were able to climb in and hit the road.

She handed her map off to Sharky and immediately turned on the radio. Static filled the vehicle at first, but once she found the right station, she was greeted by the sound of a guitar.

“Hell yeah,” he replied, bopping his head once the music came on. “Crank it while you’ve got it. Now, Hurk and Hurk are all the way up by Wishbone Lake.”

“Hurk and Hurk?”

“Yeah, his dad didn’t gamble like mine did. So, Hurk Sr. and Jr. it was.” He drew a line out on the map with his finger that she tried to follow, and held the map up so she could get a better look. “Huge lake, great if you like fishing, better if you’ve got some moonshine and a boat full of dynamite. But we’ve got to drive by the Marina first, and that would be one kickass detour.”

“Why’s that?”

“That’s where my Aunt is. You’ve gotta meet her. Aunty Addie’s just…” He struggled with his words for a few seconds, and Hana raised an eyebrow. “You know how the Pastor’s a badass? Well, she’s certified.”

She grinned. “Sounds like one hell of a lady. Think she’d love to take a potshot at-” Her next few words died in her mouth as she saw Peggie trucks ahead.

The two formed a small blockade, both trucks turned to keep anyone from cutting around them, and when they spotted the SUV coming up on them, they pointed towards them in surprise.

“Aw, fuck.” She eyed the road up ahead, noticing how it sharply curved, leading to a drop off that likely meant their imminent demise. “This is not great.”

“We bailing or making this the biggest improvised fireball I’ve ever seen?”

“We’re improvising, that’s for damn sure!” Pressing her foot on the gas, she pushed her bag towards him. “Molotov!”

He quickly dug for one, and proceeded to light it. “You’re pretty fucking cool for a cop, you know that?”

The Molotov flew, Sharky’s aim on point even as she turned the wheel to skid off of the road, and both cultists immediately had a lot more to worry about than the dark blue SUV bearing down on them.

She hit the brakes, throwing out an arm to grab for Sharky’s hoodie when she saw him lurch forward, and once they skidded to a stop, she grabbed for the first weapon she could get and aimed it out of the driver’s side window.

The two Peggies had separated, one overwhelmed by the flames, the other ducking behind the truck, and she took a few shots to see if she could tag him. All they did was make him tuck further behind it, and she barely ducked to avoid the spray of bullets that tore into the driver’s side of the cabin.

Curling her arms over her head, she looked to her right at the vacant spot next to her.

A loud whistle cut across the gunfire. “Yo, dipshit! Over here’s a real party!”

Hana shot up from her hiding spot in record time.

With a middle finger held high, Sharky dropped it to quickly ready his shotgun, firing twice. Both shots went through the truck’s side windows, any scatter leaving fiery holes in the seats in their wake, and she swore under her breath.

Her gun was in her hand and shooting at the cultist before she could think to do anything else, and she didn’t stop once until they hit the pavement.

“Now that’s fucking teamwork,” he said, his feet shifting into the loosest interpretation of the moonwalk she’d ever seen.

He was still dancing when she walked up beside him and both surveyed the flaming wreck. The fire had crawled up and over the top of one of the white trucks, smoke climbing up towards the sky. It didn’t look like it was going to get to the engine, but she wasn’t keen on sticking around to find out.

A horn went off. The noise came from behind her, and continued to sound off as it closed in.

She turned, and spotted a white van in the distance, quickly closing in. The same make and model as the one used that night by the lake to cart her and countless others off.

That realization set her next decision in stone as anger welled in her chest.

They weren’t slowing down. No, they were speeding up, and she started firing, aiming for the driver as she planted herself directly in the middle of their path on the road, set on getting as many shots off as possible.

Twenty feet.

Ten feet.

Five feet.

_Almost. Almost…!_

Sharky slammed into her, his arms holding onto her as they hit the grass. She yelped, her gun flying off into the boonies, and she was only idly aware of the roar of the van as it passed straight through the spot she’d been standing.

“Jesus H. Christ,” she breathed, her blood pounding. “I had it.”

Sharky, still half on top of her, raised himself up onto his forearms. “Dep, now I like curly fries, but you were looking to be the only hamburger in the county with a badge. That, and uh…” He noticed the stiff way she was holding her hands up, and her pinched expression, then scrambled to get up and off of her as quickly as possible.

“Seriously, I had it!” He offered her a hand to get up, and though she felt her irritation rising, she took it. “I was going to…”

Her head had swung in the direction of the van, watching it scrape by the flaming mess they had made of the roadblock. But once it was past it slowly coasted to a stop, coming to a rest right at the very edge of where the road curved.

It rocked, forward and back as Hana stared at it dumbly. Then she was on her feet, running full-tilt towards it.

“No, no, no, no-“

The rear came down to touch the grass, holding in place for what seemed like eternity. That’s when it pitched forward, the back of the van jutting right into the sky as it fell over the edge, disappearing from sight.

She barely caught herself when she reached the road’s edge, slipping on a patch of dirt as she came to a stop. Below, she hadn’t been sure what to expect, but as she watched the van slide straight to the bottom of the ravine unharmed, she couldn’t even muster a word. Just stunned silence as she stared down at it.

When Sharky joined her, he lifted up his baseball cap to run a hand through his hair. “Now that’s a motherfucking miracle if I’ve ever seen one. You fall like that, and usually you’re ten different kinds of toast.”

“God, you’re that sure they didn’t…” A voice yelled from below, and she gasped. “Holy shit.”

Jumping down the steep decline, she didn’t even think about what a wrong step would mean, only that she needed to get down there. Now.

“Hey! Dep, hold on a sec – shit, don’t fucking boogie down the thing!”

She didn’t chance a look behind her, but figured that Sharky wouldn’t leave her alone for long. Even if that meant skidding like her straight to the bottom.

The white flowers appeared in her path too fast to dodge them. The twinkling hit as everything slowed down, throwing her off for a second, but she didn't lose her footing. Just collided with the van as her vision swam, and she held herself in place as she regained her bearings.

The person inside called out again, of all things reassurances, and she quickly reached for the doors to the back. The fall had mangled the frame of the van, but only enough to wedge the doors out of place, and she struggled with it until Sharky managed to reach her.

With his help, the two pried it open, revealing one very jostled, but grateful man. “Thank you. I’m okay, just…thank you!”

Hana cut the zip-ties binding his wrists, and shook her head. “I, uh, really should be thanking you for being a good sport about that. Sure you don’t need bandages, water, or shit, even a drink?”

“No, no, I’m just thankful not to be going back. Not to any of them.”

She made her way back up the hill to get her canteen regardless, relieved to the bone that things hadn’t gone entirely pear-shaped. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she flashed Sharky a thumbs up, and wanted nothing more than to flop down in the grass for a serious breather. 

That’s when she noticed the figure leaning against the side of the van. Clad in the same delicate white dress, Faith’s eyes were closed, a serene expression settled completely over her. This was the second time she’d seen her, only this time the vision hadn’t vanished yet.

She hadn’t touched the bliss in hours, not since the brief brush with it back at the jail. 

But the flowers had done the trick in its stead. Messed with her enough to question what was sitting in front of her, and Faith was no exception. She couldn’t have been real, couldn’t have been out here, waiting for them.

Hana approached her, angling her head to get a better look, only for Faith’s hand to dart out. Her fingers wrapped around her wrist, the hold gentle, but firm.

Everything went white.

The next time Hana opened her eyes, she was no longer down in that ravine. She was in a place of sunlight and tall grass, trees stretching towards the sky as the breeze ruffled her hair. There was no place more peaceful than this, and when Faith smiled at her, she couldn’t help but smile back.

Faith took her hands, tugging her into a slow spin as they danced in place. “I’ve been waiting for this,” she said, lights twinkling in her hair. “It felt like ages. Waiting for you to finally find me, but that’s all right.”

Hana let her pull her close, and felt a smile tug at her own lips as Faith did.

“I have so much to show you. Will you let me?”

She nodded, her voice lost, but not missed. She floated here, felt weightless here, and would follow Faith wherever she wished.

“Good.” She let go, and turned away, walking forward with her hands outstretched over the grass. “There are some that will tell you I’m a liar. That I will tell you only what you want to hear, what I want you to know. This isn’t true.”

Hana followed, mirroring her motions, feeling the grass tickle the insides of her palms.

“A young woman was lost once. Alone."

Faith turned again, still backlit with a halo of light, but somber, grounded. She held out her hand, one finger raised, and as she spoke, a butterfly came to rest there. "There was little to ease the pain she felt as she watched others connect, and find comfort.” The butterfly spread its wings, taking flight.“She wanted to escape, to leave behind the abuse she suffered from those she trusted. When she begged for help, they ignored her. So she used. The press of a needle became her comfort. It helped her to forget. To feel something, anything other than what she knew to be true.”

Faith closed her eyes, and placed her hands on Hana’s shoulders as she leaned in, standing up on her toes to whisper in her ear.

“That she was a burden. To both them, and to herself. That life was not worth living, not like this. Not as she was.”

Hana watched as Faith touched her cheek, gentle, but so faint she’d have questioned it if she hadn’t been looking right at her.

“That’s when he found her.”

Faith darted back, her face lit up in joy, and grabbed for Hana’s hand, tugging her into a run.

They ran through the glowing field, past the flowers, through the haze until she could see what was waiting ahead. Their path through the grass came to an end, leading to the edge of their little pocket in the bliss. If she jumped, there was nowhere to fall below. Only wisps of green waited there, hiding the bottom from view.

Faith raised her hand towards the clouds dotting the sky, and with a wave, brushed them aside, revealing what was hidden beneath.

“The Father welcomed her,” she said, gazing up at the statue of Joseph. “He gave her a family, love, and purpose. They didn’t reject her. He didn’t reject her, and promised he would never leave her. And with this promise she found…she didn’t want to die anymore. She wanted to live. But this was not the end.”

The green fog wrapped around Faith, giving way in a flash of light to a set of wings, large and dazzling.

“No, the Father had something to ask of her. A test.”

Faith took her hands again, but this time she flew high, lifting them both.

“If she had faith in him, if she showed that she would do anything, even die for him, he would return that faith. He would return that devotion. All she had to do was take that leap. To show him she believed.”

Hana held on tight, a rush flowing through her as she kept on watching the world below them pass on by. But she looked up, let Faith carry her, and relaxed.

Faith’s smile had eased, however, replaced with one of hesitation. Doubt.

“But she was scared. She wasn’t sure, and when faced with that choice, she hesitated. Anyone would’ve. She wanted to live, had found a reason to after so long. Why give it up now?”

The statue drew closer, and as Faith brought them up alongside it, she gave Hana a warm glance.

“Still, he was patient,” she said, her words soothing. “She saw this, and took a chance. Trusted him, and leapt.”

Faith set her down, Hana’s feet coming to rest on top of the open pages of the book held in stone hands, and Faith slipped away. Her wings caught the sunlight, glinting with each flap as she rose up higher and higher in the sky.

Faith’s voice echoed in her ears, called to her, even as Hana looked right at her.

_Follow the path. _

_Trust in us, and show us your faith. Take the leap._

_And after, once you wake, we will welcome you with open arms._

A figure to her right caught her eye, their eyes on Faith as well.

Burke. The fuzzy feeling in her mind, in her bones, struggled to clear as she watched him take one step forward, then two.

_Stop. _

Each step Hana took was as through cement, dragging them forward one by one. The words caught in her throat, stuck even as she opened and closed her mouth.

He approached the edge of the book, unafraid. “Follow the path,” he repeated, opening his arms wide.

“…B-Burke.” The effort shredded her voice, but she forced herself to keep going, to keep pushing. “Burke, don’t-“ She reached for him, wanting to scream. “Don’t!”

Her fingertips brushed him as he fell, grasped him only for a second, before they curled into her empty fists.

Down he fell, through the fog, down to nothing.

_Now it’s your turn_.

Hana looked down, down at the curling wisps of the bliss.

_Take the leap. Be free. _

She rocked forward, feeling her balance give, her breaths coming quick as she felt the ground below her feet give way.

_Don’t be afraid._

Her arms flew up in front of her face as the wind whipped at her, the ground rushing up to meet her.

* * *

A breeze tickled her cheek. Brushed a few strands of her hair across her face, the tickling sensation only growing in intensity as she stared ahead.

The grass moved, the white flowers in front of her twinkling as they swayed, and she drew in a breath.

Real. This was real. Solid ground, the grass underneath her fingertips. Hana gripped onto it tight, increasing the pressure until it tore free from the ground, only then did she let herself collapse back down onto it.

Her eyelids remained heavy as she rested there, her mouth dry as she wet her lips, and she closed her eyes.

“Dep!”

Her body tensed.

“Yo, po-po! I know you’re out there! Holler once if you hear me, and holler twice if you can’t! Or three for Peggies, we’ll figure it out!”

Flipping over, she groaned as she pushed herself up. Sharky. It was Sharky, and she thanked whoever was watching over her above that he hadn’t run off on her. 

“Shark? Hey!” That alone put a strain on her, drawing a rough cough, but she yelled again. “Boshaw, over here!”

She could hear him running towards her now. That was a good sign, but still felt sluggish, her eyes adjusting to a world that wasn’t built by the bliss for her. She’d moved on to lightly slapping her own cheek when Sharky sprinted up, looking a mix of shocked and relieved.

“Hey shorty,” he said, crouching down by her side. “Not gonna lie, I thought they’d grabbed you.”

“They did. Kinda?” Hana paused as she looked over at him, the last few flits of light still dancing in front of her, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight before opening them again. “Ugh. It was the bliss. That and Faith. I don’t even know what the hell happened after she reached for me.”

“You were there ‘til you weren’t.” She stared straight at him, and he held up his hands in defense. “I’m not yanking your chain or lying, man. You fucking ninja-vanished, like poof, except with no smoke, no nothing.”

“That doesn’t even begin to make any sense. How the hell did you know to come here then?”

“I, uh, heard humming.”

“Humming.”

“And, uh…” He scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. “She might’ve pointed me along. Led me through a few of those fucking bramble-bushes too, which’ll stick me when I least want it – probably when taking a piss, but- yeah.“

She blanched. “God, Faith’s everywhere. Or wants us to think that exact thing.”

“At least I got to keep my twenty dollars this time.”

“What?”

Sharky shrugged. “She looked like she needed a beer or something, so I gave her the cash out of my pocket.”

“You gave a _walking acid trip_ twenty dollars?”

“That’s-you don’t just leave someone hanging when they’re in need, and Faith’s just smoking hot, man. You don’t know what it’s like to have those eyes set on you, and if she'd asked, I’d have given her my shirt, shoes, and pants too. No questions asked.”

Hana recalled the touch of Faith’s hand, her soft words. It wasn’t a stretch by any means, and she pinched the skin on the inside of her wrist to keep from slipping back into the haze she was still struggling to shake off.

“Okay. I meant it before, but I really want to put it out there this time. No more bliss. None. Not even a whiff.” She reached behind her head, trying to stretch out the mess that happened to be her cramped muscles, and failed, lying back on the dirt instead. “Say, where’d the truck go?”

“Uh…about that.”

She sat up and aimed a look right at him.

“It might be back there. Alone. Not on fire, but uh, I ran after you all the way here, and now we need to run back all the way there.” He squinted at her for a few seconds, thinking as he looked her over. “Could probably carry you if you want. I’m solid. Laps ain’t nothing with my flamethrower on me, and that's back in the truck, so I got you covered.”

He patted one of his biceps, grinning, and she rolled her eyes. “You do not want to carry me all the way back there.”

“Hey, an amigo in need is an amigo indeed. We shoulder each other’s burdens and shit.”

Okay, so _she_ didn’t want to have to worry about him carrying her, and she made sure to get up before he could see the blush trying to work its way onto her face.

“Come on. We’re walking.”


End file.
